


Treading Lightly II

by geekinlikeaboss



Category: Frostiron - Fandom, Loki - Fandom, Marvel, Tony - Fandom
Genre: Angst, FemLoki, Foot Fetish, M/M, Masturbation, NSFW, Sensitive Nipples, baby make three, hermaphroditeLoki, loki is an asshole, preggers, transLoki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-08-29 00:51:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8469469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekinlikeaboss/pseuds/geekinlikeaboss
Summary: It's been roughly eight months since Loki booked, leaving Tony alone in the wake of being fooled. His feelings are mixed when the trickster pops back up in need of sanctuary for himself, and a surprise.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [endlessstairway](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=endlessstairway).



Tony didn't know why he had been so...surprised wasn't the right word for it. Hurt was more appropriate to the hollowness in his chest, but he also didn't like what he would have to admit to for this particular notion to be true. In order for him to hurt at Loki's departure, it would mean he would have had to admit to feeling close to the god. In order to feel close to the god, he would have to admit that he had let Loki get under his skin despite the manipulation and abuse of his hospitality. 

In short, to admit to hurt would be to admit that Loki had duped him not once, but twice over. 

And Tony was bound and determined that there would be no third time. 

He'd be lying though if he said he's put his whole heart into SHIELD's continuing efforts to locate their errant semi-guest. Tony had given them most of the information about the night preceding Loki's vanishing act. He'd gone out on a date with a woman (who's name he'd conveniently forgotten), had a bite to eat, returned home for the usual thing he did with a one night stand and then promptly fallen asleep. He'd handed over the surveillance videos Jarvis kept (which included them playing cards and the one or two conversations they'd had together but somehow managed to omit the in residence dining experience and subsequent blow job). He'd also somehow managed to 'forget' to mention that on the night of his mystery date, the Loki in the cell was just an illusion.

Of course he was also giving himself the entirely understandable explanation that he was covering his own ass. But it still didn't sit right in his stomach. Loki had trick him! That sly bastard son of a snake had manipulated the situation entirely in his own favor, twisting and working events till he got what he wanted. A shot at the front door. 

~And a night in my fucking bed.~ Which Tony still couldn't quite figure out. Okay he gave himself full credit for being a great fuck, but if half of what he'd read was true Loki was legendary status. And yeah Tony was a good looking, charming jack ass on his worst days, but it confounded him why the god didn't simply wait till he was free and threaten Tony into releasing him. At the very least threaten to shove him out a window again. That would have made better sense.

The only answer he could be left with was that Loki had not lied about one very important thing. That he did, in fact, care for Tony. 

And that, dear friends, would just hurt too much.

He'd gotten better at not thinking about it recently. SHIELD was still searching, but the updates were getting fewer as the months went by. Thor had been 'helping' but like Tony he was reluctant to place Loki behind bars into what would be a potentially lethal situation. Fury had given thunder thighs his very candid view that this time there wasn't going to be any of this considerate treatment, Odin's re-compensation be damned. Tony suspected the blond mostly went to be sure he got his hands on Loki first. 

It had galled him a bit that out of the two of them, neither Fury nor Thor seemed to have even the slightest suspicion of Tony being complicit! It bordered on insulting really! It's like they both thought that eventually Loki would prove too much for Tony to handle. Though Fury seemed a bit more surprised that the god had left without so much as a bruise on Tony's arm.

“He wouldn't.” Thor insisted. “Say what you will but Tony kept him as a captured prince should be kept. It would have been unforgivably rude for Loki to harm his host.” 

~Which was no fucking consolation prize.~ Tony grumbled and continued to tighten the screws on the leg joints. He'd been busying himself more and more down here. First was Loki's vanishing act. Then he and Pepper had...

That blow had been coming for a while. He could see it. The more times he kept saying he'd put down the suits for good, the more disappointed she'd be when he inevitably picked it back up again. The more time he spent as Iron Man, the more time he'd come home to find her out of the house and overseas on business. It wasn't an excuse for what he did with Loki. There was no excuse for that. But now that things were over he did feel a kind of strange relief. 

Until he remembered that once he left this lab the only thing waiting for him was a warm scotch and a cold bed. 

Tony looked at the leg he'd been improving on and suddenly didn't feel like messing with it any more today. There was an aching in his chest. The kind that he knew too well would stick around and cling to him till he made himself do something either stupid or heroic. And given he hadn't heard Avengers Assemble from anywhere, he was going to guess there were no heroics he needed to take care of.

~So stupid it is.~ Tony walked up the steps, grabbing a bottle of vodka from his cabinet. As he started to unscrew the bottle, there was the voice in the back of his head convincing him this, all this was for the best. Loki was long gone and in all likelihood never coming back save for in handcuffs. And if he did, he'd either be headed for the big house in the sky or a tiny maximum security cell in SHEILD's basement. ~Where he shoulda been sent in the first place.~

He slung himself over the side of the couch and flopped on the cushions. He fished for the remote and turned on the tv, less after entertainment and more thinking about how he was avoiding doing it again.

He watched an episode or two of Scrubs. He watched Gilmore Girls. He started an episode of Dr. Phil but it was one of the ones about an alcoholic father and Tony turned it off before the taste could go sour. Tony lie there looking at the blank screen and took another heavy swallow of vodka. The bottle was now a third of the way gone. 

~I'm not going to do it again.~ he whispered to himself. Every time he did it was like a little reminder of just how well Loki had fucked him over. He'd managed to avoid it for nearly two months now. He'd even debated dumping the file into nothingness. But somehow he just couldn't bring himself to give up that little piece of evidence. And in his loneliness, especially drunkest moment...

Tony closed his eyes and drew up the file on his touch screen. He didn't have the balls to ask Jarvis to put it up on the tv. It would have felt too wrong to hear the AI repeat the command in his formal British accent. He balanced the tablet on the coffee table and leaned back, watching the scene begin to play out once more.

He started the video at the same spot each time. The moment where he could see Loki leaning into their kiss, eyes closed, cheeks shiny with tears as those plump lips whispered for him not the stop. He watched, hearing the words and living them as the scene played out for him alone. Tony wound his fingers around the crotch of his jeans and slowly undid the button. It never took him long to get hard with this.

He watched the scene shift to the bedroom as he held the gods hands above his head. If he let himself think on it too long, Tony would see the look of smugness on Loki's face rather than the coy neediness that seemed so obvious back then. Good thing he didn't want to think too hard right now. Tony pulled his pants down and groped through the briefs after his cock. He got his hand around the base and heaved a shaken breath as he gave it a tug out.

When he turned his head back to the tablet, Loki was whining and thrashing as Tony tickled his feet, sucking on the toes as he made the god laugh. He thought about what he had wanted to try. He thought about Loki in fishnets holding his cock between those perfectly pedicured feet and rubbing him till he came. Tony groaned and pumped his hips up into his fist. He let his mind wander, the image of Loki stroking his dick with the balls of his feet too enticing. By the time he heard a moan of delight, Tony was hard in his fist and groaning out.

The screen had gotten his attention back just in time to display the lewd visual of Loki's mouth wide open in a silent plea as Tony rimmed him, tongue swirling over the puckered entry. Tony felt like he had dry mouth. Even the actual act was nothing compared to seeing Loki's expressions second hand. Just to think that he had done this wicked thing. That he, had made a god look like a fucked out mess with his tongue made Tony move his wrist. He worked the cock from root to tip, grinding his palm down to create better friction. 

It felt like a blink and Tony was in him,their need overcoming their sense until they established a rhythm between them. Tony didn't need to watch this part. He turned up the volume and closed his eyes, thinking back to that glorious moment when he felt like he was a king. He didn't want to imagine how easily it all might have been a lie. Much less how it all likely was. He wanted to think about Loki's fingernails in his back, scratching down to his ass. He wanted to imagine Loki's neck, pale and long and needing to be bitten. He wanted to listen to the sharp kneeling sounds tears from Loki's throat as he fucked him into the mattress and left his cum inside a god. 

In the moment, Tony hadn't cared so much about control. But even this pleasant memory was tainted with his bitterness at being used. On the screen two people came together and fucked wonderfully, matching need with need. In this recorded world, Tony and Loki held one another and drove their bodies into bliss together.

While Tony sat jerking himself off on the couch, he was, in his own head, in his own loneliness and resentment, not quite as nice to his house guest. While he lay there, he imagined pumping his cock into Loki's taunt asshole till the god begged for release. He saw himself denying it again and again. He saw Loki pleading as he bent forward and accepted Tony into his body in one position after another. Tony saw the god prostrate and wanton under him, readily submissive to what was being offered. He let himself enjoy the thought of Loki screaming to be allowed orgasm even as Tony finished off in him and told him he didn't deserve it. 

That was what it took. Tony grunted out in a long, strained noise. His balls flexed and tightened. He gave a few quick jerks at the base before slowly pulling the cum out, watching with bare relief as it pumped out of the slit and over his hands. Tony slumped into the couch, panting as he let himself go lax for a few moments. He turned off the tablet before it could get to the last part. He couldn't bare to watch that son of a bitch sit there and hold him like it mattered.

He cleaned himself up and turned on the tv again, wanting background noise to drown out his thoughts. Tony walked through the empty tower to his bathroom. He turned on the dial and took a hot shower, trying to shake off how lost he felt after he did this. ~Tomorrow.~ he promised himself once again. ~Tomorrow I'll delete it. I'll never look at it again.~ He wiped his face clean, sniffling under the cover of the water. 

By the time he'd gotten out of the shower the rain had begun. Late fall in New York was always much the same, but the hard pounding of the droplets just seemed to add to his mood. He got into pajamas and went out to turn off the television. He'd gotten into the habit of falling asleep with the tv on and it was making him toss and turn. At the very least he needed enough sleep to be miserable pretending to be fine. 

Tony began turning off lights behind himself. As the room began to darken he could see more and more of the silhouettes outsides. Hundreds of office buildings standing like sentinels in the downpour. He'd always loved New York at night, and he lingered a moment to watch it and feel some kind of peace.

The lightning flashed, and there was a figure standing outside the window on his patio.

For a moment, he debated very strongly. He knew who it was. No matter how he tried to convince himself otherwise there would never be a time he would forget that figure. It sickened him to know there was a part of him that wanted to open the door and let him in. There part of himself he didn't want to admit was hurt needed to fling open the door and demand answers before letting that bastard set one foot inside. Both of these options would only let him know how deeply their affair had affected the engineer. 

Tony set his face in an unwelcoming scowl and walked over slowly, trying to hold his temper in check. His better senses told him to call SHIELD. Fuck call Thor! Call anyone and let them take the manipulative traitor away without so much as a word. But Tony still kept walking to the door. He started preparing statements in his head. Nasty, cutting, yet sufficiently nonchalant. He watched the rain grow harder, now pounding on the windows and the thunder flashed bright enough to see in the cracking sky. He knew he saw the figure flinch and look around in fright. He refused to let it tug at his heart.

The Loki that stood on his patio was not the Loki who had left. He looked waning, even a bit sick. His bedraggled appearance didn't help as his thick hair clung to him and he clutched his coat tighter about himself. 

Tony didn't let it move him. “You've got a hell of a lot of gall showing back up here you...”

“Anthony Edward Stark.” Loki went down on his knees without hesitation. “I offer my grace and service and beg your forgiveness that, if you should see fit you might offer us sanctuary once more in your house.” He said this all so frantically it almost blended together. It took Tony a full minuet to work out what he'd just been asked. 

“Wha...you...wait.” He looked the nervous god up and down, trying to peace together this unexpected development. “Us? Whats us? Who's us?”

Loki winced eyes down as though expecting the worst. “My self...and the child I carry.” He opened his coat, revealing a swollen belly so heavy it seemed unreal. He touched a hand to it, rubbing the outside as it bulged from his coverings. “I beg you Anthony, show mercy. I beg you to shelter your child and the one who carries them.”

“My...what?”


	2. Chapter 2

The thunder boomed overhead. Loki sucked in a desperate noise and looked around, green eyes shooting back to Tony. “Please Anthony!” he yelled, clutching his stomach protectively. “I can not run anymore!”

Tony grit his teeth and felt his bitterness rise. “This is a trick. I...I don't know who you found to knock you up...”

“It is no trick! There has been no one since you. I swear it!” Loki grabbed the hem of his shirt, pressing it to his sopping wet forehead. “Please. Please. Please Tony. I am sorry. I...I did what I had to do but I can't run again. I'm too heavy with this. Please.”

He looked down at this messy, soaked creature that seemed more full of honest fear than he would have thought him capable of. “If this is a trick...I will call SHIELD.”

“Yes. Yes I know.” Loki said and stood as Tony pulled the door all the way open for him. “Do I have your sanctuary?” he asked quickly, shaking as he dripped mud and rain all over the clean floors.

“Sure whatever.” Tony groused, not even wanting to offer the god a towel. He tried not to glare but how could he help himself. Bastard showed up here after eight months and expected him to just throw open the gates and welcome him in. He wasn't sure he believed this whole pregnancy thing. Why should he? Loki was a fantastic liar. Not to mention his illusions were so spot on even his own brother couldn't tell.  


The god breathed a sigh of relief. He saw the way Tony was looking at him and swallowed. “I suppose some kind of explanation is due.”

“Ya think?” 

Loki was still rubbing his belly. It seemed so natural for him. As if he had been carrying this weight like any woman might. “I...I could say I am sorry. And I am. But I had to do it. I could not remain caged forever.”

“Hey no apologies needed. I mean it was my own fault right?” Tony shrugged himself up, walking across the room, staying ten feet from Loki at all times. “I mean I should have known better than to trust you for a moment so I let my dick do the thinking. Won't happen again.” 

The god actually looked hurt. He opened his mouth to say something and another blast of lightning cracked through the storm. Loki shrank back and grabbed his belly. “He found me.”

Tony knew this figure too. Now he felt really nervous. 

Thor was standing out on the patio, hair blowing in the wind. He raised a fist that could shatter stone and carefully tapped the window. “Anthony Edward Stark.” his voice was clearly audible. “I ask that you let me in to speak to my brother.”

Tony hesitated. He'd like to think the blond god was sweet enough on him not to shatter his widows, or his skull. But there was a set to that stubborn jaw that said it was better not to chance it. Besides, it wasn't like he wanted to protect Loki. As far as he was concerned, bulging belly or not, Thor could have him. He opened the door and Thor stepped in, brushing past him and walking straight over to his shame faced brother.

They stood in silence, Loki trying to seem more confident. He'd drawn his cloak about himself again as if it could protect him. 

Thor seemed so...tight. He squeezed his hammer till the leather squeaked. “Why did you run?”

“I had to. I had no alternative.”

“But you did. I persuaded father to let you stay here. To ensure you would not live in cell for five hundred years. I bartered with mortals to make sure you would at least be comfortable!” he shoved Mjolnir up, pointing it at Loki. “You had the choice to stay put!” 

“You know I can not do that!” Loki snapped back. “You'd have been better off executing me...”

“Why? Would you rather court death than accept a mere punishment? Is a beheading preferable to a small humiliation in a...a comfortable bed and room?” Thor threw up his hands. “You broke my trust. I expected that. I dare say I am used to it by now. But you belittled Anthony's hospitality! You broke the treaty between our worlds!” He looked fit to spit. “Mother is prostrate! She has been since you vanished!”

Now Loki looked guilty. “She knew I was alive. She always knows somehow.” he assured himself more than Thor.

“And now you have the gumption, the unmitigated gall to return here and beg Tony for sanctuary...”

“Which he has granted by the way.” Loki made sure to inform him, smiling just a bit. 

Now Thor looked surprised. He went silent in the middle of his tirade and turned to his friend in confusion. “What? Why would you do that? Why would you offer him shelter after what he's done?”

Tony's mouth went dry and he realized he should have agreed more carefully. He crossed his arms defensively, trying to find a smart assed come back.

But Loki was prepared. Which could only mean he had come here prepared for this turn out. “I think this might have something to do with it.” 

~Fuck that bastard and his dramatic reveals!~ Tony cringed as Loki draw aside the cloak and showed off his stomach, round and burdened with child.

Thor dropped his hammer. His face fell and Tony got the distinct sensation that the older prince was so terribly disappointed. “Oh Loki.” he shook his head. “Again? After the shame it brought you last time?”

Loki's jaw stiffened and his nostrils flared. “Last time was different. Antony Stark is a good man, a hero and a warrior in his world and...”

Thor's blue eyes went wide and he snapped his head around to Tony. “You?” 

“He doesn't have any proof.” That was a shitty defense and he knew it when he said it! But it was the only one he had. “He's been gone eight months now he could have fucked anyone...”

“You do not understand what you have DONE!” Thor snarled at him, the thunder echoing his fury. “You have no concept, no grasp of it!” 

“Wouldn't be the first time!” Tony snarled back. “Not like you let me know about this whole warprize thing in the first place! I went into this blind and you kept it that way cause it was convenient for you! Fuck and they think Loki's manipulative! At least he has the decency to be an outright bastard! You hide it behind a fucking ten million dollar smile and blond braids!” 

“But you do not deny you laid with him!” 

Tony didn't want to say it. But it was too obvious. He'd as much admitted it already. “Yeah. Yes. I laid with him or whatever you wanna call it but...”

“Do not speak another word!” Thor barked and shoved a finger at Loki. “You have begged sanctuary here. So be it. I am sure you planned this well. But you will not move from this spot or by my word brother I will let SHIELD have you!”

“You wouldn't. Not as I am now. You would not dare violate the sacrosanct.” 

Once again, Tony felt that Loki had spun a web so thick and intricate that everyone could not help but be caught in it. He gave the dark haired creature one more fuming look before Thor grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him up. “Hey! Wha...what are you doing are you nuts?!”

“Be silent!” Thor ordered and shoved them into a room, closing the door behind him. 

“He's going to get away!” Tony protested as he was dropped onto the floor, rubbing his sore shoulder. 

“He will go nowhere. Why should he? A snake does not leave a well protected den.” Thor grit his teeth. “You are an intelligent man among your people. A genius they say. It confounds me how you could be so easily fooled!” 

“Hey it wasn't easy alright! I was just trying to be nice to the guy!”

“By fucking my brother!?” 

Tony groaned. “No that came later.”

“Hold your tongue!” Thor demanded, the pictures on the wall rattling. “You don't know what you've done, the chaos you have been complicit in!”

“No I don't because nobody told me!” Tony insisted again. “You got me into this because you wanted to keep your baby brother safe? Fine! But where does that leave me? Hell I thought I it was like he was under house arrest! I didn't know there were rules! I didn't know I had to keep my hands off him!”

“I didn't think that would be such a challenge for you! Honor alone should have dictated...”

“We don't have your valor codes here! He was willing, I was...willing!” 

“Willing? Would you bed someone you had imprisoned? Someone sitting behind iron bars that you had dominion over? Someone who can not say no to you?” Thor shook his head and seemed disgusted. 

Tony went quiet, realizing where Thor had him pinned. “It wasn't like he was protesting. At all.” 

“I am no fool. My brother is...quick to turn things to his advantage. I have no doubt he played a large part in this. But that does not absolve your foolishness Anthony. It does not relieve your guilt for bedding a man entrusted to your care. I trusted my brother to you.” He emphasized the words as though he could pound their meaning into Tony's head. “And look what you've done to him.”

“We don't know that it's mine...”

“He would never lie about parentage. It is too important to him and to his pride.” Thor assured him. “What lies in Loki's belly is your seed. And there are so many things you are now irrevocably a part of.”

“Do I get a couple scrolls this time or am I wandering blind again?” Tony spat back. “Cause if I'm to blame for this then so are you. Maybe if I'd have known everything from the start this never would have happened.” 

Thor sniffed and nodded. “I will ensure you are properly educated this time. If only to keep you both from causing more trouble.”

They stood there, glaring at one another in silent reproach, anger spent and slowly giving way to the realization that this was happening.

Tony held his shoulder tightly. “Is he...I mean is he really...?”

“My brother is a complicated being. He alone out of any man I know has a womb that can quicken. He is with child, Tony. And I have no doubt in my head that he speaks truthfully when he says it is yours.”

“Is there...I feel like a shithead asking but can't we do anything about that?”

Now Thor actually looked horrified. Tony got the feeling he'd overstepped on another cultural line. “Even were in not at the last of his burden, the Aesir do not relieve themselves of the unborn. Not unless the mother is risked by it. As Loki said they are sacrosanct, mother and child both. It is unthinkable.” Thor's anger might be terrible, but it came and went like a summer storm. The god looked at the ground, seeming defeated. Finally he turned back to Tony. “Did you let him escape?”

“No. He escaped. I just...I...I let it happen.”

The thunderer nodded, understanding the subtle distinction. “Do you understand, Tony? Do you know why I had to do something? I had to try?”

Tony shrugged. “Yeah. Yeah I think. He's family.”

Thor gave a terrible sad smile. “I failed him once before. Long ago. I...I thought I could protect him better this time.” He didn't offer more explanation now, and Tony didn't have the energy to hear that level of back story. 

Loki was sitting in a chair in the living room, still soaking wet. He did not seem so sure of his position as both men entered and shared looks of unsure distinction at him. His throat tightened and the trickster god seemed ever so small. “I have sanctuary...”

“And I would not violate it.” Thor began, turning to Tony once more. “I will...inform SHIELD in the morning. First I must tell our family. I trust you are more wary now then before.” 

“Like hearing a rattle in tall grass.” Tony affirmed and Thor went to the patio without another glance in their direction. 

It wasn't until the blond had vanished that Loki tried to catch his once lovers eyes. “Tony...”

“Pick a room. Any room. I don't care which. Just stay away from me.” he turned on his heel and closed the door after himself.


	3. Chapter 3

On one hand Fury had sent Natasha by within an hour of dawn to confirm that this was indeed Loki sitting in Tony's couch. The news seemed to come with mixed reactions from their fearless leader. He was pleased to know that their missing house guest was back. But the earful Tony had gotten from Nat was enough to make him feel like Howard had been lenient on him. 

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” 

“I already got read the riot act from Thor? Isn't that enough?”

“No.” Natasha said in her deadpan reassuring way. “I'd say I'm shocked but I'm not really. I told both of them it was like mixing oil and gasoline. You're both far too much alike not to cause some kind of trouble. Gotta admit though, did not see this being the end result.” she peered behind her. Loki was in the room, looking like a dog who'd been kicked and cradling his belly for comfort. “He really is...”

“We haven't exactly done an ultra sound but Thor seems to think so.” 

“We should. Do an ultrasound I mean.”

Tony snorted, pouring himself a gin and tonic which Natasha knocked out of his hand with a paper cup of coffee. He gave her an eye roll but didn't refuse it. “Why?”

“To make sure there's a kid in there first off. Make sure it's healthy.”

“Sure, knock yourself out.” 

The assassin tapped her fingers on his counter top with clear irritation. “You might not be happy about this, come to it nobody looks happy about this. But it is what it is. Take some responsibility, Tony.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. I just found out yesterday the guy I fucked eight months ago is pregnant. Now granted I might not have been that surprised if it was somebody with a vagina between their legs, but this one right here came as a bit of a shock!” He opened the fridge and got himself some creamer. Usually he took it black but in times of stress he craved sugar. 

He heard an irritated hiss from behind him and pretended not to watch as Natasha walked over to the crestfallen Loki. They exchanged a few words, Natasha telling him that SHIELD wanted an ultrasound. Once she explained what it is Loki consented quickly enough. Apparently they had something fairly similar in Asgard. 

“The first moment you see your child is supposed to be a blessing. The healers use their magic and you see the infant within you in little flecks of gold floating in the air. You see their heart, their tiny hands, their eyelashes.” Loki smiled a little bit. “I...would not object if Tony does not.”

Natasha looked back to him and Tony busied himself with making a bagel. “Lets just get the ultrasound scheduled.” It almost seemed like there was a note of pity in her voice. 

He was playing the avoidance game. 

The avoidance game starts like this. Whenever Tony walked into a room and saw Loki there, he did whatever he had to do as quickly as possible and left. If Loki seemed determined to linger, obviously trying to get five minuets of Tony's attention to speak to him, he would intentionally walk right by him like he wasn't even there and retreat to his workshop or the lower offices of the tower. Loki seemed reluctant to go past the private residences anymore. Tony suspected that sanctuary didn't apply to anywhere that couldn't be considered a private residence. 

He did not attend the ultrasound. 

Loki found himself a room somewhere. Tony specifically avoided learning which one. 

It wasn't until Thor had stopped by nearly a week later that he found himself running face first into the older brother in the kitchen. “Where is Loki?”

“I don't know. Somewhere in the tower.” Tony looked around. “Jarvis where is the asshole in residence?”

“I believe he is currently in his cell.” Jarvis responded.

Thor looked absolutely scandalized. “You put him in a cell! Anthony he is pregnant with your child!”

“I didn't put him anywhere thunder thighs! I told him to pick a room! He picked.” Tony looked around and picked up his tablet, drawing up a camera view. Sure enough there was their rejected god, lying on his one person bed and covered with blankets.

The air around him became charged with static. “Look at him! He looks half starved!” Thor took the tablet, cracking the screen with his thumb. “Has he been eating?”

“I don't know.”

“Has he bathed? Those are the same clothes he was wearing the night he returned.”

“I don't know!”

Thor's jaw dropped, seeming absolutely stunned by Tony's seeming apathy. “The man carrying your child is in there and you care not how he is?”

“No I really, really don't. I didn't tell him he couldn't eat or bathe or take care of himself. I just told him to stay away from me. I don't care what he does otherwise.” Tony insisted, though a nasty little sinking feeling was in his gut right now. It grew as Thor pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. 

“Anthony...” he began then sighed and took out a satchel he had carried with him. He pulled a scroll from it with a large red seal. Two ravens wound about a large ornate spear, and Tony had a sneaking suspicion what it was in regard to. “I was told by our father to bring Loki this. Do you want to hazard what it says?”

“I'm guessing big daddy one eye isn't to thrilled.”

“It proclaims to Loki that when this child is born, he will be returned to Asgard to stand trial for his crimes before the council and the All Father. If he is found guilty, which even I can not see how it would be given any other way, he will spend the next thousand years in a cell beneath the palace. Do you understand?” 

Tony didn't want to, but his brain pulsed with the question. “What about the kid?”

Thor's gaze leveled him. “The child is neither by biology nor birth an Aesir, but remains the son of a prince. The kindest that could be offered to it would be that it is given to a willing family in our world to raise. Mother...she has offered, but many of the nobles feel that the last child adopted by the royal family has been nothing but a source of trouble. They would be unwilling to accept another one. And if the child's father will not welcome the child into his household...I can not predict what the judgment would be. But one thing will be clear. This is our father telling Loki he will never see his child.”

“Oh.” What else did they expect him to say? Yeah it sucked. But what was he supposed to do about it? “So...you're guilt tripping me with this because...”

“Because I know you are angry with him. I do not blame you for that. But give your own foolish actions due credit. Loki may be capable of doing many things. But self impregnation is not one of them.”

Tony rolled his eyes over big time. “Great. Now you want me to be nice to him.” He snatched the scroll up and tightened his fist around it. “I guess I'll just drop both bad news bombs in one go.” 

Loki sat up at Tony entered. His green eyes brightened as he saw the man enter, but turned dark when the scroll was dumped on the table. 

“Your dad says...”

“I know what it says.” Loki interrupted. Whatever strings had been holding the god together, they broke all in one go. He started sobbing helplessly, a great cracking bleat tearing from his chest and echoing out in the room. “It says I will...I will n-never see my child after it's birth!” 

Tony felt the guilt drop into his gut. Which of course meant he had to say something abysmally stupid to cover. “Maybe thats a good thing. I can't exactly picture you as father of the year.”

The prince rounded on him, fury radiating from him in waves. “You say what you will of me but never have I been accused of less than loving my children!” he stood shakily, groaning as he tried to find his balance and tripping. He was so ungainly, all that poised grace vanished and he grunted as he got up. 

Tony realized Thor was more observant. Loki was wearing the same clothing he had arrived in and was looking unhealthily thin for being in the third trimester. “Hey. You should probably grab a shower or something. You need to eat to.”

“Oh what does it matter to you?” Loki spat at him, trying to stand up and find some regal baring and failing. “I have walked and run and hidden for eight turns now! I have born this on my own thus far I do not need your pity or your help!”

Okay now that made him fume. “You don't need my help until of course you get desperate enough to keep big brother from dragging your ass back to Asgard! That bought you a whole nother month of freedom. Enjoy it while it lasts!” 

Loki gawked at him. “You are enjoying this you vindictive little beast! Tell me then what choice did I have? Was I to stay trapped here forever? Was I to sit and twiddle my time away between reruns and bedding you?”

“You didn't look like you were complaining that much when it was happening!” Tony accused back. He hadn't come in here to start a fight. But you can only repress for so long before it all comes pouring out. “Fuck it's like you can't help yourself! You have to take anything good or nice that happens and twist it till you get things your own way! Would it have sucked so god awful bad to stick around a few years and...and see what happened? Would you have...would you have.” he felt his voice constricting and cut himself off. Why did he feel his eyes burning? Why was his chest heaving? No. No he was not going to let Loki have that level of triumph over him. “Clean yourself up and eat something before Thor kicks my ass.” he managed and turned on his heels to leave.

“Tony wait!” 

There was a wet, splashing sound and Tony stopped at the door. Loki was down, knees splayed as a puddle of yellow fluid squished out from under him. The god, the prince, the failed conqueror was positively mortified with himself, burying his face in his hands and he began to sob freshly. Loki tucked his legs up under him and tried to hide himself in his filthy cloak. 

Tony stood in shock for a moment before banging his head into the metal door frame three or four times. He walked over and held out a hand to Loki. He heard a few sniffled before he got a nasty look. 

“Now you pity me?”

He sighed. “A little bit yeah. I also just feel bad for you.” He kept his hand there, waiting for it to be taken. “You need to shower, Loki. You need to eat.” For a while he wondered if Loki's stubbornness or his own would win out. It didn't look like the god had any intention of going anywhere right now. But eventually a pale hand cautiously took him, letting Tony help him to stand. Maybe Tony's pigheadedness won. Or maybe Loki just couldn't stand to soak in his own urine. Either way, they walked through the tower room and Tony poured a big, warm bath. 

“Come on, undress.” he began and Loki suddenly seemed reluctant. “What you got something I haven't seen before? Come on those clothes need thrown out.” He reminded himself that there had to be a few things still sticking around from when Loki had last been there that he could go and grab. By the time he'd gotten back Tony found the grubby pile of once magnificent leathers on the floor. He turned to make a snide comment, something like make-yourself-at-home, and the sight stopped him cold.

Loki was dirty and thin, but still magnificent in his own way. The lean body had a grown into something gestating life, the round warmth jutting out in a low curving dip as he lifted a foot and managed to get into the tub slowly. The flat male chest had begun to form into breasts, the nipples turning dark as the milk time neared. And between his legs the long brilliant cock had started to pull back in favor of forming a parted mound.

Loki caught him gawking and snorted. “Did you think I was going to just magically get it out?” he dipped his hands into the water and already seemed a hundred times better. “I have to change my body to give birth. I've been doing it slowly since I realized I had your child in me. By the time it's ready, I should be too.” 

“You keep saying it. Didn't you get an ultra sound or something?”

“I did. But the image wouldn't appear. They think it's the machine, but I have my own theories. Magic and technology do not often mix well. And mortals have not the craft to do it right.” he sank down into the warm water and played his fingers along the surface. “I guess we will just have to wait and see. Or you will at least.”

Tony brought the clothing over and laid it on the counter. He sat on the edge of the tub, not knowing what to say. 

Loki began. “Do you hate me so much?”

“I'm so mad at you I don't what to feel. I trusted you a little and you used me. I trusted you again and you just used me more. I don't know that I have a third time in me Loki.” 

“Then do not make this about us. Make this about him. Or her. Or whatever it may be.” Loki whispered, reached his wet hand to clutch Tony's. “I didn't come here to make you love me or to try and force my life into yours again. I knew the moment I was with child that sooner or later I would be caught. But please, please do not make our unborn child suffer for what I've done. I've lost too many children Tony. I can't do it again.” 

Tony let suspicion creep over him. “You don't have some plot or manipulation that'll get you out of this? I don't buy that for a moment.” 

Loki laughed through his sore throat. “Oh I'll escape Asgard, sooner or later. I always escape. But I do not want you complicit in it. I want my child safe. I want our child safe.” Green eyes begged him. “All you need to do is claim that this is your child, publicly. Say you will claim it when it is born and even Odin will not attempt to remove your right to it. Do not give our child to Asgard. Knowing what it will be, knowing that it will be half jotun...I can not fathom the abuse it will suffer.” 

“Uh-huh. And what else happens if I do this? Am I locked into some kind of contract where mother and child can't be parted? Do I have to allow you visitation rights or every summer or something?” 

A sadness seemed to overwhelm the room. “If you do this, not for me but for the child, I...I will promise you that you will never have to see me again. I will go when they come for me. And I will never darken your doorstep. I trust you Tony. I know you won't let your child come to harm.” 

Tony stood, laying a towel by the bathtub. “I'll think about it. I will.” ~I'll also talk to Thor about it.~ He wasn't going to make the same mistakes twice. Thor had promised information and he was going to make good on that as soon as possible. “You need to start eating something okay? You know where the take out menus are. Get whatever you want. Get plenty of it. You're...you're eating for two now.”


	4. Chapter 4

Asking for Thor meant waiting for Thor to pop up. Not that Tony had any doubts that he would. Thundercats cared far too much about his errant brother to leave him unwatched for long. But Thor had a habit of popping up and vanishing as it pleased him. Tony often had the feeling that both Thor and Loki were unused to respecting other peoples time, as being raised princes probably meant things happened according to their needs. 

So being caught without the older brother, Tony started making little advances on Loki. He was still playing his cards very close to the chest. But it wouldn't ever sit right with him to know Loki either hadn't had the time or hadn't been able to take care of himself in his current condition. Not to mention feeling a bit guilty that he'd let that state continue under his roof. 

“You need to eat.” Tony insisted, pushing a plate of bacon and eggs across the kitchen counter to the god. 

Loki stared down at the plate. He looked a little better. He was clean at least, but his pallor was still dulled and he looked too thin for someone eight months pregnant. “You don't have to go to such trouble over me. I don't expect it.” 

“Really? Cause last time I could have sworn I was catering to the cosmoses biggest prima donna.” Tony attempted a bit of light humor, looking over his shoulder at the somber god. 

What he got was a somewhat saddened smile. “Last time I was in a somewhat different state of being. Not this...bloated wastrel drifting through Midgard.” His voice cracked and Loki seemed to shrink a bit further into himself. “I am sorry I...befouled your floor last night.”

“Hey no big deal. This place has seen worse believe me.” Tony pushed the plate a little closer. Loki stared at it and hugged his belly tightly. “How long has it been since you've had a decent meal?”

“Since you brought it to me.” Loki did not look up. “I have been running, Tony. Hiding from everyone as best I could. There was not time to indulge.”

“Yeah well if you don't eat you're going to hurt yourself. Not to mention whatever is brooding away in there.” He pointed absently to the stomach. Every time he thought on it too much, Tony could feel his brain misfire. Just the idea that something was sitting in this stomach, gestating, waiting to pop out and caused trouble made him a bit queasy. 

“I am not mortal, Tony. I can last much longer than you think.”

“Well whats in there is half mortal. So you at least need to consider that.”

Loki didn't have a retort. He picked at the eggs with his fork and managed well enough.

“Do we need to get you vitamins or something? Prenatals?”

“I do not know. I do not think so. I managed very well without them last time.”

He knew he probably shouldn't ask, but anything to get of the uncomfortable subject. “Last time? With the horse?”

The smile returned a bit. “I barely remember my time as a mare. It was not the most enjoyable experience. But no. I once spent nearly a decade as a woman in this realm. Punishment for a misstep. I had several children.” He rubbed his stomach and for a moment Loki looked a bit fuller. “I remember feeling them grow in me. The sensations were so new to me then. I was fascinated with the entire process. The way people looked at a pregnant woman was different back then. Life was harder for your kind. A potential child was a cause for celebration. I looked forward to every single one of them.”

Tony could hear the adoration in his voice. “What happened?”

“I had to go home eventually. But I kept an eye on them when I could. I never ignore my children.” 

“Why didn't they come with you?”

“The Allfather has never been fond of mortals trespassing into Asgard's realm. And the idea that I might bring the result of my shame with me was something he found distasteful to his household.” Loki explained with a firmly bitter backwash to his voice. “The Allfather is very meticulous about the comings and goings of those he considers under his rule.”

~Okay not going to unlock that backstory.~ “So...you...you're changing things right? So you can give birth?” Tony wasn't too up on this whole magic defying the laws of reality thing, but he knew what he'd seen the night before. “Is it, I mean does changing hurt?”

“What hurts is being pregnant while in a male body.” Loki groused. “It was thoroughly vexing until I had managed to regrow a proper uterus.” He smiled a bit, looking down at his stomach with a sort of wry fondness. “But it's almost ready. It won't be any more difficult than any woman giving birth, I can promise you that.”

“Why don't you just go full female like you did for our...you know...Arby's?” Tony found himself hesitating to call it a date. It hadn't been really. It had been revenge outing. And he still couldn't quite excuse how it had ended. 

“Because I did not, as you put it, go 'full female'. It was an illusion, Anthony. I merely let people perceive a different part of myself. It's easy to manipulate people into seeing what you want them to see. But a real, deep, physical change is much more difficult and more lasting. It has taken me eight months to get this far. And I will need to maintain the changes until after the child is done breast feed...” Loki dropped off and his briefly encouraged mood immediately shrunk back into the darkness. 

“What? Whats wrong with breast feeding?” 

Loki managed a sheepish look. “I won't be here for that, Tony. I...I suppose people don't hire wet nurses anymore but I'm sure you'll manage.” he stood up from the counter, plate only half picked at. “Thank you for the meal.”

“No, Loki we need to talk about this.” He took hold of Loki's shoulder but the god refused to face him. 

“Tony it's fine. There...there is nothing for it anymore. I'm tired. I have nothing left in me right now. Every scrap of power I have is being spent in this. I need rest. And I need to know that come what may, my child will be safe. Until I know that, I will not know peace.” Loki was shaking, which only made his haggard appearance more frail. “I shall try to eat more later I promise.”

“Lolo come on.” 

“Do not!” Loki spun on his heel, holding himself like he might rip at the seams. “Don't call me that. I can't bare it knowing there is nothing behind it!” 

“There was!” Tony retorted. Damn him and his big mouth! He could never stand to lose an argument. “There was and then you up and left!” 

“I know that damn you! I'm not asking for forgiveness!” 

“Then what do you want? Huh? Why did you come back?” He railed in return. 

“Because of this!” Loki touched his stomach again. “I had no alternatives! I can not allow Asgard to take the child, Tony! I can not!” He looked on the verge of tears again and swayed, grabbing a chair to keep himself standing. “Just tell me you will keep the child. Swear to me you will claim the child between us as your own and never let it come to harm. Just...do that for me! Do it and I swear I will give you anything in my power to give!”

Tony's chest pulled at him. He felt the guilty weigh hanging in his stomach like a rock but he set a stubborn jaw. “I need to talk to Thor. I wanna know what I'm getting into before I make any more vows to you.”

Loki's fist clenched and you could see his teeth bared past his lips. “Then we have nothing else to say to one another.” He turned on his heel and this time Tony let him go.

***

“Of course it would be ideal for you to want to claim the newborn.” Thor sat with him at the bar and nursing a large mug of beer. “But it would be a lie to say I am not surprised by your interest.”

“What you didn't think I'd want to take care of my own kid?” Tony sipped at his. He wasn't actually much of a beer drinker. But it felt like tradition when you were out male bonding so to speak. 

“You did not seem particularly thrilled at the notion. To be honest it...I suggested, when I spoke to my father, that you might find yourself quite relieved to know the child would not be under your roof.” Thor took another drink and drained half the mug. 

“You make it sound so wrong when you say it. It's not the kid I'm upset with.”

“Are you suggesting that you would be willing to take responsibility for your offspring?”

Tony hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't want to. It's that this whole thing stank of one of Loki's schemes. He felt like the god was tying lines to a pier, hoping any one of them might sink into his flesh and hook him deeply. He needed to know. If he took the child, how irrevocably would he be tied to Loki? 

And how did he felt about that possibility? Well that was something he'd have to work out for itself.

“I need to know what would happen either way. I'm just being sure of all my options. And I'm not heartless. I wanna know if the kid would be alright.”

Thor took his time in answering, as if he could find the right way to say things at the bottom of his beer. “As a prince of Asgard, I can tell you that there are no orphans in our world. Thought Loki is not of our blood, he is a citizen by our laws. He was raised in our ways. A child of his would never go without food, clothing, shelter and a family to care for him. But it would not be in the palace. Now that the truth of his lineage is known it would not be allowed. Father, I believe, intends to give the child to a noble who might accept it. The child would be cared for, Tony. But in truth...” he did not seemed pleased with whatever was going on in his head. “The child will be half jotun. I do not know how to fully describe to you what this means to our people. It is...it is as if someone had told you that you would now have Grendel's child in your home and under your charge.”

“Grendel? Oh.” That took him back to AP English. “Cared for but maybe not cared about quite so much huh.” 

Thor nodded mutely and took another drink. “They would not allow the child to come to harm. But it would always have a sense that it was not welcome somehow. A snake in a henhouse. And as for what the child might become when they are grown, that I can not say. Loki has often produced...interesting offspring.”

This hand this kid over option was beginning to sound less and less thrilling by the moment. Tony had never pictured himself as a fatherly type. No one had ever exactly set an example for him on that front. But he had to ask. “Okay. So what happens if I take the kid?”

“Then you will be it's father. I would have thought that much had been obvious.” 

Tony sat forward. “You promised to keep me informed. I expect it this time Thundercats.”

“You have every right to claim your child, Tony. But do not mistakenly think that this will be easy. It will be a child of three realms, Asgard, Jotunheim, and Midgard. And all will call to it. There is no predicting what Loki might give birth to. No telling what powers or abilities this child might posses.”

“We'll worry about that part when it comes. I'm worried about all your overdone Asgard culture fest bullshit right now.”

Thor grunted as thought insulted for his entire culture. “A parents right to their child supersedes all others. If you claim the child between the two of you, no one can contest it. The may try but they can not. You will be owed...what is the word here...stipends? Assistance for raising the child.”

“We call it child support. But I don't think I really need money.”

“It is about more than money Tony. If the infant possesses magical power, you could claim support by requesting a tutor for them. If the child's appearance is...less than human you could demand a glamour so they may live normally.”

“Yeah cause that did wonders for Loki.” Tony couldn't help but interject. “Whats the fine print?”

“As I understand it father would be less than pleased. He wants to keep a close eye on things, as he has with Loki's other children. Odin is...” Thor searched for the right words. “He would not be able to interfere directly. You are the child's father. He could not. But he may find other ways to step in. But he is not my main concern.” 

“Loki.”

“Always. Anthony, you must understand. As things are now, Loki will be imprisoned the moment the child's cord is cut. He will never see the infant again, not if father has his way. Yet when it comes to Loki things are never so simple. He never lets go of a grudge. If he even thinks the child is being mistreated his wrath will be implacable.” 

“You really think I'd mistreat my own child?” Actually that was pretty offensive, but Tony let it slide off his shoulders for the most part. The two men took sips quietly, watching the people at the bar but not really seeing any of them. “Hey? You mad at me still?”

“For what?”

Tony gave him a long, deadpan look as Thor choked on a sip of beer. 

The heroic god gave a little groan under his breath. “I am...annoyed. I admit I did not suspect you would ever wish to lay with Loki. You did not seem to have such an inclination. I thought it would be safe.”

“Safe? I got news for you but your baby brother is the one who...”

“Do you not think I know this?” Anthony, do you think I have sat here considering you to be the initiator?” Thor shook his head in bewildered amazement. “Tony, Loki is with only his smallest magics. He is without weapons and without anything but the acknowledgment that he is a prince. This would not be the first time he has seduced his way into favor.”

“Oh. I...I thought maybe you thought I had...?”

Thor clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder. “I put Loki with you because I knew you would not hurt him and because I thought you would not be interested in what he could offer. It appears I have once again underestimated Loki's ability.”

The foam in Tony's mug swished about the edges, clinging to the sides and sliding down into the liquid. “He has really pretty feet.” he muttered offhand.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Tony hid his blush under the guise of another big swallow.


	5. Chapter 5

The air had changed in their little bubble. Loki was eating three meals a day, if you could call it that. It was like he had to force himself to eat something or else have to deal with not only Tony's arguments, but his own brother chastising him. He was bathing and changing his clothing. He was sleeping...quite a lot actually. More than was probably okay for anyone to be sleeping reasonably. 

Tony knew the signs. He'd always dealt with it a bit differently. Mostly with avoidance. Working in the lab till he was too exhausted to think. Going out joy riding in the suit. Getting drunk. But he still knew what depression felt like to go through. The really shitty part was that none of the medicines they could give Loki to help would work. Either because he wouldn't take them, because Loki was a god, or because he was pregnant and it wouldn't be safe down the line. 

But more than anything, he knew part of the reason for Loki's depression was his insecurity over the fate of his...their children. 

Tony had been letting it roll about in his brain for too long. To be honest he felt now like he should have known his decision from the start. Like it should have been obvious. But as things usually were with Loki, it just couldn't be that simple. He found himself wondering if his reactions would have been different if Loki had just stuck around.

~Maybe not. You were never the best at responsibility.~ At least there would have been more time to decide on everything. Get used to the idea. Not to say he'd have been any more pleased. 

~Okay Tony. Time to man up for the first time in your life and actually do what you need to do.~ He gathered the parchment scrolls and pressed the fine point of his ink pen to them. Tony was pretty happy with himself. He only hesitated a little bit. 

Thor looked marginally satisfaction as he took the pen next and witnessed the signature. “All that is left is for Loki to agree.” he handed both back to Tony with a somber face. 

“He will. I can promise that much at least.” Tony looked down at them with an awareness of their weight against his palms “Why don't you head off and say hi to Jane for a bit? I uh...I wanna talk to him on my own.”

Thor slapped a hand to his shoulder. “I have faith in you my friend. And you have my deepest thanks for what you take on now.”

~Yeah shouldering the burden of where I stuck my dick.~ Tony smiled and watched Thor leave as he walked to where Loki had been keeping himself. At the very least he'd gotten the god to sleep in an actual room with a comfortable bed under the reasoning that it would be better for the baby. 

Loki sat up as Tony entered. His eyes dropped to the scrolls in Tony's hand and there was a sort of sad relief in his expression. “Thank you, Anthony.” he spoke tenderly. “You have no idea to worry you have taken from my shoulders today.”

Tony watched as the younger god added his signature to both the original and the copy. He wrapped them tightly, and his fingers hesitated with the candle and seal. “You okay?”

“My first child was taken so as to hide my shame. My next three because of the threat they represented. I lost one to wilder magics, and one to his brothers teeth. But this is the first time I have ever willingly given up a child.” He looked down as he pressed the seal into the soft wax and shuddered, handing the scrolls back to Tony. “Love them. That's all I can ask of you. No matter what they are, no matter what happened between us, love them.”

“Hey come on. Have a little faith. I mean I loved you didn't I...”

He didn't realize it had slipped out. Green eyes looked at him with a sense of wonder, then closed and turned away. “Loved. Past tense.” 

“Y-yeah.” Tony started and felt a new kind of low. “I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“Everything.”

Loki stood up and had the most incredible expression of regret and longing across his fine noble features. “So am I.”

 

***

Later, years later, he would remember how glad he was of it. He would look back on the night and know he had made the right decision. Even if it was a bad decision, it was the only one he could have made. 

He heard a sound in the echoing of the tower and Tony didn't need Jarvis to tell him what it was or where it was coming from. He didn't pause as he swung his feet out over the edge of the bed and slipped on a robe and slippers. He walked through the living room and made a brief stop in the kitchen before going across to the guest rooms, knocking on the door. 

The crying within stilled and there was a sniffling of someone trying to calm themselves. But Loki could not hid the red eyes and bedraggled look of himself as he cracked the door open. “Tony? What...”

He held up two mugs of tea. “Here. I still have the raspberry you liked.” 

Loki opened the door a bit more and Tony slipped in. The room looked pristine. In fact if he hadn't been dwelling exclusively in these rooms you'd have thought it had gone empty for months. Hell Tony would even place bets on Loki sleeping on top of the covers. “I put honey and lemon in it, just the way you like. And I thought maybe...”

“Tony you hate tea.” Loki interrupted, rubbing the belly thoughtfully beneath the robe. “I'm sorry I woke you. I was trying to be quiet and I...”

Tony reached forward and placed his hands, warmed by contact with the cups, to Loki's round, bulging belly. “H-how do it feel inside?”

Pink went right to those pale, high cheek bones. “Squirming. Feisty.” he smiled a little bit. “Thats supposed to be a good sign you know. Too calm a child means they have no fire in their blood. A fussy child is a sign that they will be strong enough to meet life head on.”

“I never heard that. I always heard a fussy baby meant a boy.” Tony's eyes opened wider as he felt something move up against his hand. “H-hey it...it kicked!”

Loki sniffled and nodded. “It knows you are near. Perhaps thanking you.”

Tony knelt, hands touching the round bulge, exploring it gently, almost fearfully.

The god chuckled. “You won't hurt it Tony. Not from simply rubbing it.”

He looked up at the god and they shared a strange moment. “I'm sorry Loki.”

“You should be.” he grumbled briefly. “But I am not entirely angry with you. Perhaps only a portion of my fury is your responsibility.”

“I'm still sorry.”

“Good.”

Tony leaned in close, listening as though he could hear something inside. “Loki...why did you go? Why didn't you just stay here?”

“A part of me greatly wished to. Another part felt that this was but a brief entanglement and you would tire of me as so many have before you. But mostly, I am what I am, Tony. The thought of spending lifetime after lifetime incarcerated, trapped... It was a suffocating thought. Unbearable even.”

“And now?”

“Now it is different. Before it was merely for my own sake. Now I have another worry. This...this must be cared for.” Loki looked at his belly with sweet fondness. 

Tony swallowed. “You shouldn't have to live a life separate from your own kid. Nobody should. I can't imagine how it would feel to...to not know how they are doing. If they're okay.”

“I'd know they were with you. And I have no doubt your Avengers will make quite adamant babysitters.” Loki watched as Tony slipped his hands around the belly with rapt fascination.

Tony took a deep breath, letting himself mull this over once more before he brought it up. “Loki, if you could stay with your kids...”

“Don't tempt me Tony. Not with things I can not have.”

“But what if you could have them?”

Loki watched the man kneeling before him with caution and a daring sense of hope. “I would give nearly anything I have to not be parted from them, Anthony.” 

“How about a promise?” 

“T-Tony?”

The engineer stood up. “Thor and I had a talk. A long one. See...I can choose just to accept the kid. I know that. But...we're in kind of an awkward position. Asgard really doesn't like to split up families. And...technically, I DID claim sanctuary for you. Which means in order to come and get you, Odin would have to send his goons here. Which might cause problems seeing as how I'm an Avenger and this isn't under his jurisdiction.” Tony's hands were wringing together as he spoke. “Now I'm not saying this has to happen okay? But...I don't really wanna see you get split up from your kid again. Our kid. And I think the little gremlin in there oughta know it's own mother. So...so what I'm saying is...”

“Tony don't tease me. Please don't. If you have any doubts any second thoughts then do not...”

“Lolo I'm asking if you wanna stay. I'm asking if you a chance to be a mother to your children and maybe...just maybe if you wanna give this weird fucked up thing we have a second shot.” 

Loki was crying. He looked almost like he might break down right there. 

“It's not a package deal. I mean if you don't want to be in anything with me I get it. I've been kind of a shit lately. Not without reason. You did a shitty thing. But...you know I don't have the best track record either and...” Tony didn't get the chance to finish. Loki had his arms wrapped around the man's shoulders, pulling him into a deep and desperate kiss. It stole every ounce of breath in him and Tony gasped as their lips parted. The two men stood there, panting, holding one another. Tony's hands lay on either side of the belly as Loki watched for his reaction. 

“So...can I take that as a yes?” 

Loki didn't speak, but kissed him again. And again. He moved his lips from Tony's mouth to his cheek, as though he could not get enough of the man's skin up against his own. His teeth grazed the muscular neck and Tony groaned hotly, feeling the noble fingers pry at his clothing. “I...forgive me! I have been in such need...”

Tony pushed him back towards the bed, carefully undoing the buttons of his shirt as Loki fell back and began to undress himself. Inch by in he watched the new body revealed to him. He had seen the god before in the bathroom, but this was different. Loki had transformed in the month they'd had together.

Male but female but neither and yet both. Loki turned the most pleasant shade of pink as he watched Tony take in the sight of him. “It has been a very long time since I last held a woman's form.” he undid his crossed legs and let Tony see the warm folds of his pussy lead up to the now reduced cock. “I hope you don't find it too strange.”

“Strange and amazing.” Tony admitted. “Do you know how many times I thought about you? How often I wished we'd have taken just a little more time with one another?” He lay next to the god, running his hands over the changed figure. “Is...is this gonna be okay? Do I need to be worried about anything?”

Loki gave him a shy smile. “Women have been having sex while pregnant for ages, Tony. I assure you, I will not be harmed.” He lead the hands up to his face and played his tongue between the fingers with coquettish grace. “I need you Anthony. Please. Be gentle. Much is sensitive right now.”

~OH fuck me I'm gonna cum before I even get in him!~ Tony gave a high little groan as he played his fingers down to the chest, rubbing over the pert rosy nipples with the lightest touch. Loki reacted as though struck and gasped, arching high into it. “Whoa! Really sensitive! You weren't kidding.” Loki nodded hurriedly and offered Tony a breast cupped in his hand. Tony played with it again, rolling his thumb down over it till Loki made a pretty little face of pleasure. “There we go. Just gotta warm them up.” 

“Ahhna! Tony...” Loki's hushed whisper did nothing to deter the man. He placed his tongue carefully around one eager bud as his fingers teased the other. “OH! Ouuh! You mean thing!” he rolled his hips forward, letting Tony lie him down on the pillows to work his breasts into arousal. Loki's hand tore at the sheets while the other wound down on Tony's hair, guiding his firm lips to suck or pull as it felt good. “I...I missed you. Please. Tell me you know that. Tell me!”

“How could I not huh? You left a big mark on me Lolo. A damn big one.” The god howled as the pressure worked it's intensity up and Tony added the barest scraping of his teeth to their work. Tony smiled and pulled back just enough to watch Loki pant. 

“I did not want to hurt you!” Loki pleaded, begging him to understand.

“I know. Now hush. I'm working here.” He pushed and pulled, changing pace and sensations until he found one that had Loki tossing on the sheets. He bit just enough, plucked just in the right way and sure enough, he made the sensitive areolas work for them. Loki bucked and shrieked as the first orgasm of the night hit him and he clenched down hard. 

“GODS! By the n-nine! Tony!” Loki shook head to toe and jerked as the strangest of displaced climaxed took him. He panted with an excited air and laughed when Tony looked at him. “Wicked! Absolutely lewd!” 

“Yeah and I'm gonna make it so much worse.” Tony seized his control of the moment and rubbed his hands against the large belly, trying to soothe the child inside. “Just relax.”

“Tony...what are you oh!” Loki's eyes rolled back and he cooed happily, wriggling down close when he felt the rough pads of those clever fingers roll down over his wet lips. “Ohhhh Tony. Anthony do not stop.”

“Wasn't planning on it.” He drew his fingers over the labia with a curious, tentative exploration. “How does this feel? I mean with having both...sorta. How is it?”

Loki took a moment to luxuriate and think. “You know the feeling when one draws their nails over your balls? Just enough to make them tingle and twitch? It is much the same. The skin tingling, the quivering. It is a very, very good sensation.”

Tony blushed to hear it. “Y-yeah. Sounds like it's pretty good.” he felt nervous all of the sudden. He'd been involved with women and men. Mostly women. But this was an entirely different ballpark. Sure he was into it. Not like it intimidated him. But he wanted to be sure... “You'd tell me if this didn't feel okay right?”

“I assure you, it feels wonderful. Much better than my own meek attempts.” Loki promised.

“Oh? So you uh...” He grinned as he found his way up and glided the wetness to the tip of the cock. There was no clit to speak of. Tony could only guess that once Loki was entirely female for the birth that the cock would eventually turn into one. 

“I was lonely, hiding and missing you. Of course I did.” Loki's smile fell. “Did you never...?”

“Jarvis has more than a few recording of me jerking off.” Tony admitted. “Most of them to the video feed of us together.”

“I consider it an honor to be your pornography of choice, Tony.” He replied smoothly with only a touch of chagrin. “And deeply flattered.” 

“Good. But I gotta be honest. If you can still talk, then I must not be doing this well enough.” Tony slipped down between the legs, lifting them up as Loki made a funny noise at the sudden position change. “You tell me if this feels good okay?”

“If what UHHHH!” Loki strained, but could not see over the belly as a pair of lips kissed his forming pussy, a tongue sliding up and down the quivering lips. “Oh yes! Oh Tony y-yes!” 

The cock had no more to it than a palm sized length, but Tony held it anyhow, stroking it firmly as he licked the wet, silken labia. He adored the texture and taste as Loki leaked salty juices out onto his tongue. The taste was such a deep, natural thing and it went straight to his own cock. “Gotta admit. I kinda miss your dick though.” he pouted and stroked the hard cock. “I didn't get to play with it that much.”

Loki thrilled. “You shall get your chance. I promise. I will go nowhere this time. You will wake to me.” he mewled when the fingers entered him, rolling around the entry before Tony slipped them deep and felt the forming tunnel. “Ahha! Careful! P-please! I have not had one in centuries! It is new!”

A naughty, dirty little thought felt like someone sent lightning from his brain to his dick. “Lolo...are you telling me this is...new equipment?”

“Of course. I don't just keep it around between everything you know! HHAAANAA!” Loki panted, the fingers crooking into him as Tony searched for anything to increase the stimulation. “I have to f-f-form it anew!”

~He's a virgin. Oh my god he's a virgin.~ Why was that exciting!? That shouldn't be the most exciting thing about this! “Are you gonna be okay? I mean if we fuck is it going to hurt? Should we not fuck?”

Loki snickered. “I am giving birth to a baby in a few weeks and you are worried my body can not handle your tender cock? You silly man!” Loki threw himself back and pushed Tony's head down again to devour him. “I want you within me! I will have you! Be kind at first.”

“I promise.” Tony offered and licked hard, driving his tongue up and down, working his fingers in deeper. He didn't know if Loki had formed a g-spot, but he'd be damned if he didn't do his best to find it. He stretched his fingers up against the walls, working the pretty, tight little space open. His mouth traveled up and down, determined to give pleasure wherever it could be given. And oh it felt so gratifying for Loki to be riding his lips like a mad man.

His name fell from those lips as Loki bit his own knuckle, trying to hold onto the pleasure as long as he could. But oh how Tony pulled it from him!Just to imagine those bright brown eyes, that keen face sitting down between his thighs and eagerly lapping the wetness between his clenched slit. “TONY!” Loki threw his head back. Again? This soon? Oh but it had been so long since he'd felt someone press so close was it any surprise.

“There ya go. There's my Lolo!” Tony watched as the slippery fluid rushed out, pooling into his palm as Loki came. The gods teeth gnashed and he let out a low, rumbling growl. Tony waited till the last little spasm shook him before sitting up and wiping him hand off on the sheets. “Feeling better?” he asked, massaging himself patiently while Loki found the resilience to breath once more.

Loki could have been a cat with a loud as he purred. “I want to return the favor.” he offered, running his fingers down over the stiff cock. “I missed this too, Anthony. Do not think for a moment I did not.” 

Tony grinned, adjusting himself up on the pillows so Loki would not have to shift onto his side of kneel. “Well he does kinda grow on ya.” That earned him a little snort of derision before Loki parted his lips and embraced the head whole-heartedly. He sucked down and hummed, eyes batting shyly while he played with the tip. Tony caved and just rocked his hips up, letting Loki play with the pacing. “Fuck. Me. Yesss.” 

Loki laughed around the cock and looked up, presenting his deep green eyes. He popped the head of the cock out and kissed the slit. “I did not get to suck you the last time we were together. I should have done so. I could have had your taste on my lips all this time.”

“You should have stuck around. You'd have gotten plenty of chances.” Tony grunted. He moved back and forth, enjoying the grip of Loki's eager mouth around him. With a resounding pressure that rolled up from the bottom he felt the lips draw back over the twitching flesh. He saw Loki work him in deeper and deeper still, whatever went un-sucked left to the long fingered hands to keep happy. And Loki was very intent on keeping Tony happy. 

A finger snuck back, finding Tony's entry and playing gently along the outside of it. “May I?” Loki pleaded, running his tongue down over the sticky slit.  
“Oh yes!” Tony groaned and realized how close he was. He pulled Loki's head back, looking bashful. “L-lol. Uh...I know you got the whole god thing going for you but...if I cum...”

“We need not renew everything tonight.” Loki promised. “I can be patient. Especially when I know there will be a tomorrow.” He licked his finger, sliding it to the whorled entry and pushed just enough to bring it in to the knuckle. 

“Fuck!” Tony clenched and began to pump his hips forward, Loki working his mouth down till he could snugly find the base. One finger quested into him with steady exploration. Soon enough Loki, slick bastard that he was, found a way to get two inside, drawing them in and out to help Tony find his prostate. “Loki...Oh Loki baby.” he whispered, trying to decide what he wanted more. The wet sucking or the keen penetration. Both could make him cum, but Loki was determined he wouldn't have to choose. 

The fingers found his nodule, and Tony's world was white fire.


	6. Chapter 6

“How can I begin to explain? How often I missed you. How many times I thought of returning. When I discovered the pregnancy I knew what the eventual outcome out be. You had to be told. I could not keep this from you. And yet I was worried. You would be so angry with me. I couldn't bare the thought of you hating me all over again.”

Tony had his hand running over Loki's belly as they lay in bed together in the wee hours of the morning. No one had come by to check on them yet, and there was a kind of momentary tranquility to the room. No Avengers. No politics. No concerns beyond the here and now. And there was much that had gone undisclosed. Now was the time if ever. 

Loki sighed with wistful concerns. “I suppose it would be foolish to say the decision was not, at least in part, a calculated one. At first the choice was simple. I was with child. I had to hide myself as best I could. You see...when I become pregnant, my magic becomes quite occupied. I have to dedicate all my resources into changing shape. My body must reform from the very core to bare a healthy child. And I am not being dramatic when I say that to form the entire female reproductive system is an absolutely exhausting endeavor!” He humphed, shifting position to give his body comfort. “I knew I didn't have long before the seed you gave me quickened so most of those first few days I had to devote myself to forming a Fallopian tube, then a uterus...”

“Okay at some point you and I are going to sit down and go through a very detailed explanation of how precisely you could have a...a Schrodinger's pregnancy.” Tony promised, feeling the little thing fidget within the stomach. “But right now what I really wanna know is why you didn't come back.”

His bottom lip sucked in and his brows furrowed. “I thought I could handle it on my own. I had before. I never lied when I said I liked you Tony. I admit I used you for my own ends, but pregnancy was never in the plan. When I escaped I honestly it felt it for the best if you and I did not meet again. You offered my hospitality, kindness, friendship. And I'd taken enough. And then as the months drug by it became harder to hide. SHIELD was on my heels must of the time. Where they weren't Thor was. I knew sooner or later I had to do something. And then it occurred to me what risks I was taking with the child in my belly.” Loki cradled his swollen stomach bulge with a sigh. “I debated returning home, pleading with mother. But she would not be able to promise me the child would be safe...”

“So you weren't even going to tell me?” Tony's eyes were wide. 

“I did not see where it would have any benefit in the beginning. As I said, I felt I'd exhausted your generosity. But as time passed, I grew heavy, exhausted, frantic. I regretted everything. If I hadn't been so foolish and merely stayed put...” Loki tried to sit up, groaned, and needed help to push himself up into a sitting position. Tony grabbed for pillows to support his back and helped him get comfortable. The god gave him such a greatful smile. “You see? How well you care for me, Anthony.”

Tony grumbled. “Don't try to make up for it now. I never said I wasn't still pissed at you.”

“Are you?”

“Yes. And I'm going to stay pissed for a while. Doesn't mean I don't want things to get better. That I don't want us to get better.” He took Loki's hand, entwining their fingers and breathing a deep sigh of relief. “You've got a lot to make up for Lolo.”

Loki leaned close, kissing his brow, raking his fingers back through the thick brown hair. “I will do my utmost Anthony. This I give my word on. Ouf!” he grunted. He took Tony's hand and led it to the stomach, moving it here and there until Tony gasped. 

“Wow! He really is frantic in there!” Tony leaned in close. “H-hey little guy.”

Loki chuckled. “We don't know if it is a boy Tony. It could very well be a girl...though I am prone to boys.” He tilted his head to one side, looking quite curious and frankly cute. “Matter of fact Hela is my only daughter. I don't think it terribly unlikely that I may have another. But one never knows.”

Tony felt the little kick and smiled. “We...uh...I mean have you thought of names?”

The lambent green eyes twinkled happily, gazing at Tony with so much care that it made him shy. “In Asgard it is a tradition for the father to name the child. It's symbolic. By naming the child they accept that it is theirs to love and nurture till they are grown. I...I had hoped.”

Tony lifted up and thought to himself. Okay there were some real possibilities here. His first instinct was to name the kid after himself. But it seemed like such a cliché. His second thought was to give the child his dads name. But just as quick as the thought came, he rejected it. He didn't really want to run around calling some little brat Howard. “Did you have any ideas?”

“Several. But I doubt you'd like them much. Hagen is always one of my favorite. Ivar was once a famous mage of the nine realms, his name has a certain power to it.”

“Are they all going to be Aesir names?” Tony cringed a bit. Not that they weren't nice. But a name like Loki or Thor only worked when you could live up to it. When you were a kid it just sounded like you were too big for your britches. 

“Yes Tony. They would all be Aesir names. Unless you'd prefer a jotun name.” Loki rolled his eyes. “According to the scrolls, my name in Jotunheim would have been Korselsne.”

“Bless you.” Tony snickered. “What does that even mean?”

“Driving snow. You know when the snow is coming down so hard it is slanted.” Loki made a gesture. “Most jotun names are along these lines. Must be dreadful.” he humphed, moving his thick black curls back. “Makes Loki sound preferable.”

Tony hesitated a moment, but if there was ever a time to bring this up it was now. “Hey, will the kid, you know be... Fuck it's gonna sound so wrong but will he be normal?” 

The long, drawn out silence didn't give him much hope, but the pregnant man seemed to be mulling it over with considerable thought. “I do not know. There is too much to consider to say yes without a doubt. My first child was by a horse and yet was born with eight legs and near human intellect. My middle three came from a half jotun and each of them was touched by the sedir magic I wield. My last two were born from Sigyn, and they were by all accounts Aesir, and yet they never grew old enough for me to know if they would have been touched.” His face fell and he managed a smile full of distant regrets. “I'm sorry Tony, but it would seem the odds are against us.”

“Well whatever he is he better have my chin.” Tony stuck his chin out, nodding to himself. 

“You are so focused on a male!” Loki smacked his thigh. “What if it is a daughter? Eh?”

“Then we call Natasha and beg for help.” Tony adjusted his position and smiled, thinking about it. Okay, somehow thinking about a girl was a little different. When he thought about a boy it felt like he'd be asking for trouble. One more kid with an ego the size of a sky scraper and a likelihood of drinking problems for the Stark family line. A girl thought? He thought of...well. “If it's a girl, we're naming her Maria.”

Loki seemed to find this quite acceptable. “So long as I may give her an Aesir name to go by. My mother would never forgive me if I had a girl and failed to pay tribute.”

“What about Hela?”

“I did not know Hela existed until she was nearly a year old and dropped on my doorstep with her brothers. Had I been there I would have insisted.” He rubbed the stomach and breathed a soft sight of relief. “Tony I am starving.”

“Well then let's get you something to eat.” It was an encouraging thought! Hell Loki had been so nervous and depressed lately he'd barely been eating. The thought that the god's appetite was on the up meant he was feeling at least a bit better. “You like omelets? I make a mean sausage and salsa omlet with extra cheese and...”

“No salsa please. I've found too much acidity upsets my stomach. But the cheese sounds nice. Perhaps with chives? And sour cream. And chicken.” Loki blushed. “And jam?”

“Whatever you want weirdo.” Tony stood up, stretching as he put on his robe. He paused as he tied the knot and turned back, looking at the beautiful pale body in the bed, lounging comfortably. “Promise me.”

“I'm not going anywhere this time, Anthony. They'll have to drag me out by my ankles.” Loki wriggled and bit him thumb, smiling with clean white teeth. “I forgot how comfortable your beds are.” 

“Well enjoy it because I've got eight months of fucking to make up for!” Tony yelled back as he walked into the kitchen. Then stopped. Then turned with red cheeks to the two people standing in the living room. 

Thor stood there, eyes the size of dinner plates with his arms crossed as he coughed abruptly and jerked his head towards an elegant woman with that look of mature beauty about her. “Anthony, this is the Queen of Asgard, Lady of the Vanir and mother to the two princes of the Aesir.” He said in a deep, formal voice. “Queen Frigga, mother, this is Anthony Edward Stark, of Midgard.”

~Frigga. Queen Frigga. Mommy. Oh...~ “Ohkay!” Tony clapped his hands together. “This could either be very very good or very very very bad. UH.” he looked around. “I don't see a hoard of guards with you so I'm holding out for good.”

Her champagne gold dress swished with the sound of little bells as she walked forward, looking about the tower with passive interest. “I would estimate as such.” She held a hand out and Tony hesitated, not knowing if he was supposed to kiss it or bow or what. Ever the queen, Frigga placed the hand instead on his shoulder. “It is my understanding, dear Anthony, that you wish for my son to remain here with you. That it is your intention to embrace the joy of fatherhood and the..responsibility of seeing after Loki.” she drew her hands apart and the scrolls he had sent with Thor appeared between them in a shimmer of dusty light. 

“That...uh. Yes. Yeah that is what I want. If he wants it. I mean we want it...I think. But yes.” Tony knew he was babbling like an idiot but he could only hope the soft look in her eyes was a kind one. “Yes. I want Loki to be here. He deserves the chance to be a parent to his kid.”

“Then as Queen of Asgard I have but one recourse.” Frigga threw her arms about him, embracing Tony tightly. He heard a tiny little choke in her throat as he held back from the disgrace of tears. “You do not know the burden you have taken from my heart, Anthony Stark. My fears for my son, the pain it would have caused me to see him imprisoned.” she sniffed a moment and straightened herself up, the queen replacing the mother with effortless grace. “I owe you my gratitude.”

“As a mother.” Thor stated softly, almost as though he hated to be the one to say it. “As Queen there is a limitation to how much can be owed.”

Frigga waved her hand, but it seemed to be the truth of it. “Forgive my sudden appearance. We had but a brief window in which this could be accomplished. But you deserved to hear this from the source of things.”

“Why do I have that feeling like my life is about to take a tragic swan dive?” Tony grumbled. ~All I wanted was to make an omelet.~ 

“Your message was well received by the mother and father who care deeply for their son. But as the AllFather and Queen, there are reservations. Concerns. Loki has committed terrible crimes against this realm. His imprisonment here was intended to serve as a lesson in humility for his actions and quell the clamor from the court. His escape sent a message that Loki could not be controlled and there are murmurs of discontent.” Frigga explained quickly. 

“I don't get why murmurs of discontent should mean shit to me when they're coming from a realm light years away from mine.” Tony insisted, but he was sure he was going to be told.

“Because whether from kindness or mercy, you have inextricably brought the fate of Loki and your own together. The AllFather must convey to the council that you have extended your temporary sanctuary beyond the birth of Loki's child. The discontent was quieted while they felt it was merely a father ensuring his child was kept at home. No Aesir would ever deny a parent the right to his infant no matter the circumstance. But now you're signature had claimed Loki as well.” Frigga held up the scrolls. “It is, to us at least, as good as signing a marriage contract.”

“A marriage contract to a convicted criminal.” Thor offered more of an explanation.

“Wait...” He shot the blond brother a look. “Waaaait. Hold the fuck up nobody said anything to me about a marriage!”

“You already have a marriage, at least a minor one.” Frigga waved Thor down, trying to get him to stop 'helping'. “As far as any Aesir are concerned, any union, however brief, which results in a child constitutes a marriage. It does not carry the same connotations as your Midgardian one might. It merely ensures the rights of the child to be fed, nurtured and cared for in all manners. But this is different. This constitutes a binding legal contract. You are offering you hearth, finances and protection to Loki. For us, that is a contractual marriage of a considerable degree.”

“Okay one THOR you fucking promised me you would go over all this shit! Two...what...what...” Tony waved his hands in exasperation. “What? I'm sorry your majesty but what?” 

“Tony for goodness sake what are you yelling over?” Loki waddled out the door, half covered by a robe clearly not intended for a swollen belly and clung to it as his face mixed in joy and worry. “Mother?”

Frigga looked ready to drop the scrolls. “My son.” she whispered and looked him up and down. “My darling boy you...you look positively waifish! My gracious are you not being fed well enough?”

Loki flushed red and kept trying to close the robe more. “Anthony had gone to make me an omlet.”

Tony took a little consolation in the fact that Loki at least didn't seem to have anticipated this move. As Frigga gave him the long and short of it, the god stiffened and turned immediately to his renewed lover.  
“This was never my intention!” He pleaded. “At worst I thought they would be angry that I was not being drug home in chains. I did not think they would insist this to be a marriage!”

“The council is in an absolute uproar.” Thor said gruffly. “Every one has an objection on every side of the argument. Some say he is mortal and not worthy enough...”

“Hey!”

“Others that you are a criminal and a criminal can not be a spouse. Others are furious over what this may cost as you are a Prince...”

“Whoa whoa I never asked anybody for money! Does it look like I need money?” Tony gestured around to the expanse of rooms, furnishing and various modern style choices that had been expensive beyond his immediate recollection. 

“The cost of the child's welfare, Tony.” Thor reminded him gently. “The babe is the child of the Prince of Asgard. The child is entitled to be recognized as such. It is not about mere finance but his entitlement to be educated according to it's birth. Prince or princess, it will be expected that all needs are met.” 

“This is obscene.” Loki insisted, untangling himself gently from his mothers embrace. “Where was all this pomp and obeisance for my other children? Hum? When did anyone ever insist that Jormungander was given his dues? Or Fenrir? Or Sleipnir? When did any of them...?”

“You know the circumstances were different then Loki.” Frigga reminded him gently, though she could see Tony's clear curiosity. “It was decided, by will of the council and with the support of the AllFather that the laws as such did not apply to...to beasts.”

For a second Tony was sure Loki might breath fire.

“And as the nature of these children was undeniably bestial, the law as such did not extend to them when it came to their entitlement as sons of a Prince of Asgard.” Frigga didn't look entirely thrilled about this either, but it was long in the past and nothing could be done by this point. “But we secured Hela her own realm to rule! And Narfi and Vali would have been recognized if...”

“If they had both come of age.” Loki spat bitterly. “This is foolish. I asked for none of this. It is not needed. The only thing I ask is for my child, our child, to be educated in sedir if they are capable. I need not Asgards whims or political finagling.” 

“Excuse me.” Tony interrupted with no small amount of dark ire in his tone. “Does the father here get even the slightest amount of say in any of this?”

All three seemed to stare at him with embarrassment at having unintentionally discounted him from the conversation. “Of course you have your say Anthony.” Loki began, but Frigga put a finger to his lips. 

“In the current situation, no. I am afraid you do not. You are the father, and that will be honored, but your mortality does not leave you with good standing among the Aesir. Your desires are secondary against the honor and responsibility of the realm to it's own people.” The Queen shook her head. “As it stands, Odin is doing his utmost to quell their fears and concerns. It will do much to remind the council that your SHIELD only agreed to take Loki out of a sense of cooperation, not obligation, and that our realm can claim no hold over the Midgardian people. It would be disastrous to impose our laws and culture upon the mortal world and expect it to hold sway. If we are lucky, and if we act quickly, it will be seen that to let Loki live our the rest of his sentence in this realm, as your spouse or not, is by far the best of all possible solutions.” 

“This is...fuck. Fuck. FUCK!”

“Tony please...” Loki nodded his head to his mother.

“No! Fuck! I...” He pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to concentrate on the mountain of bullshit that had just been dumped on his doorstep. “Look I'm really sorry Mrs. Odin cause I really would have liked to offer you coffee and cookie or something but this...this is...” He felt like someone had kicked him in the chest and proceed to place weight on it. He started to grip the kitchen counter when he saw Loki's hands wringing and shaking. He lifted his head and stared into the terrified green eyes. 

It took an instant for him to know, and less for him to decide. Tony strode across the kitchen and took Loki's hands in his own. “It's going to be okay.” he promised in the most reassuring tone he could muster at the moment. He felt all the tension in Loki's body release as the god kissed his forehead and breathed out. “Your majesty, whatever happens, this is my kid in there. And this...” he lifted Loki's cheek with a smile. “This is my babies mother. And that kinda goes as a package deal for me. So you guys get together and you make whatever decisions you need to make. I made mine.”

Thor's face pulled into a warm grin, like the big bastard looked about ready to squeeze him into a coma. Frigga's silent nod was comforting, but not without concern. Whatever happened from this point on, they'd have to hope it could be maneuvered in their favor, but at least the Queen seemed to be as in their corner as she reasonably could be. 

But Loki? Loki had his hands wrapped up in Tony's as though he would never let go.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...I am so so sorry. 
> 
> To anyone who thought part 2 was going to end on a happy note, you clearly do not know my tendencies .

Time passed so quickly now. Tony's involvement spurred on a sense of acceptance in their newly established little family and it seemed as though whatever their personal feelings in the matter, new life just made people want to be a part of the experience. Natasha especially. 

“Baby shower.”

“What? No. No we're not doing a baby shower Nat.” Tony shuffled through the small stack of baby books he was now going through. Well not personally. It's more like he was uploading the text to Jarvis so he wouldn't feel utterly incompetent in the face of the small screaming life that was soon to grace their house hold. At the very least the new program would prevent him from doing anything mortally impacting. “I'm having enough trouble keeping this out of the media. Some jackass already told Fox News that I'm having nursery shit delivered here.”

“Well it's Fox so it's not like anyone worthwhile is going to listen.” The assassin shrugged. “Besides, this wouldn't be a public event. Just friends and family. The team.”

“I thought most of 'the team' was still pissed at me.”

“When is Steve ever not pissed at you? I'm always generally miffed anytime your name is attached to something. Clint is...” she rolled her eyes. “He's mad but he still had a ton of baby clothes to give you.”

“Where did Clint get baby clothes.”

“Goodwill I think. Don't give me that look. Second hand baby clothing will save your ass those first few months. Don't drop real money on kid clothes till they stop growing for a year.” 

Tony looked up from his work with real curiosity. “And since when are you the baby expert?”

“Since a couple of the SHIELD agents had a baby and I got suckered into baby sitting duty.” She replied smartly. “Come on Tony. If nothing else it's a good chance to mend things between everyone.”

Tony humphed with irritation, widening the blue screen in front of him and transferring files over. “I'll run it by Loki.”

“Already done. He's down for it.”

“Oh so your plan was if daddy says no go ask mom?”

“No. Always ask the parent you know will convince the other one.” Nat smiled keenly. “We'll keep it low key. Presents, some cake...”

“No stupid baby shower games. I'm not guessing which candy bar you melted in a diaper.” 

“Can we at least bet on birthdays and birth weight?”

Tony groaned. He'd never have thought the super spy would be down for this kind of thing. But damned if there wasn't a human under all the leather and sass. “Okay. Fine.”

“Good. I got $100 buck on May the 20th.” Natasha sauntered off, content that she'd gotten what she wanted out of their little meeting. 

Truth be told, Tony had kind of been wondering about that little detail. It wasn't like they needed the gifts. He was already making sure the very best of everything was being purchased for the tower and the Miami house. But it seemed like a baby shower was something celebrated on both Earth and Asgard. Loki had spoken about the celebration for Narfi and Vali and the kind of traditional gifts often given to little Aesir children.

“For peasant families they often use an old hay trough or something for the baby. But the more noble families will have one commissioned by a wood worker.” Loki had proudly drawn up a sketch to show him. “See? The symbols are thought to protect the infant from death or malformations.”

“Is that common in the spawn of immortals?” Tony had joked, but Loki's face looked quite grave.

“Havn't you ever wondered why a race of immortals isn't over flowing with children. The Aesir don't breed well. Well not with other Aesir at least. Half the reason there is currently peace between the nine realms is because mixed marriages have a better likelihood of producing offspring. The Vanir, the elvish, the dwarves. You'd stand a much better chance of having a child survive to adulthood if you intermarry.”

“But not jotuns?” Tony asked cautiously, understanding better now that it was a sore subject.

“The jotun are a more hardy people, given their environment. But they do tend to breed slowly. My understanding is that there are not terrible many females.” Loki had touched his hand and kissed it. “But no. Prejudices are as they are. Even my children with Agraboda were met with scorn for being thought to be one fourth jotun.” 

Tony was determined to let Loki know the children were wanted here. Not that he was going to follow every tradition. He'd said a flat out no to a goat sacrifice and having the placenta ground up into a drink for Loki. And the traditional birthing pool complete with women to sing the child into birth was right out. But he did have it arranged for Loki to have a natural birth at the tower. Frigga was invited, thought it was doubtful if she could come. That seemed to really strike at Loki's heart. Apparently it was still a thing is Asgard not to have men present at the birth of a child. Yet he had been permitted to attend his wife Sigyn due to he having been a woman on a few occasions. His mother had helped with the birth as well and her presence had done a great deal to ensure a safe delivery.

Tony tapped a few more instructions in and sat back. Maybe a baby shower wouldn't be so awful. A chance for everything to feel like a real family. That more than anything scared the crap out of him. He didn't have the best track record when it came to families. Now that he'd started to come down from. The being furious with the errant god, Tony was being forced to admit that half his fear was coming from just how very sure he was that he would fuck this up. 

The more he considered things, the more nerve wracking it was. And Loki sensed his nerves. 

“I have never seen a first time parent who was not utterly convinced they would ruin their child.” Loki smirked as he saw Tony watch another of the insipid parenting videos he'd collected. He preened through the man's hair, kissing his forehead for reassurance. “You will be a splendid father, Tony. I can see it.”

“Okay but how do I know? Huh? How do you know?”

“As the only one here who has parented children let me assure you that you inevitably do something to destroy you're child in some manner. But that is the nature of parenting. Everything you do effects your child. And it's totally unpredictable whether the outcome will be good or bad. Sometimes you can not know till they are all grown up.”

“Not helping.”

Loki kissed him again, wrapping his arm around Tony's waist and nearly crawling into his lap. “Silly man. Don't you worry now. All will be well.” He smiled and undid the first button of the blouse, revealing the pale, round breasts barely hidden beneath the fabric.

Tony couldn't help but leer. Loki's changes were turning out to be one of the more enjoyable things about this. Pregnancy was making the hormones unpredictable and he'd woken up more than once to Loki sucking his cock into full hardness before slipping on tip and riding it whether he was awake for it or not. 

“Natasha said she would be willing to help with a baby shower.” Loki smiled, undoing another button.

Tony's grin fell. “So she did talk to you.” Loki's sparkling eyes said everything. “So when are we doing this?” 

“Tomorrow. Before you can find an excuse to be off that day.” 

Tony sunk down onto the couch. “I can't drink during this can I?” 

“No.”

 

***

Loki was being surprisingly gracious given everything. He sat amid the load of gifts, smiling in such a serene way it was like the last eight months hadn't happened. He wasn't too stable on his feet, seeming to be doing a lot of groaning and shifting, but Tony guessed that was typical for this stage of preggers.

“He's always been in a good way when he was to become a parent.” Thor placed a hand on Tony's shoulder. “It gives him purpose I think. I envy him this.”

“What you and Jane...?”

“Nay I think not. For Loki being a second son, there is this freedom. Any child I have will be a king someday. This comes with many trappings. I'm not sure Jane would want to move to Asgard permanently.” The giant blond god smiled fondly as he considered it.

“You should talk to her more then cause that girl is ready to make a trip to the stars today.” Tony saw Loki waving to him excitedly, demanding that he come over. “One second. My baby momma is calling.”

Loki was holding up a set of baby onsies with only a little bit of a stain on the front. “This is darling! Look at this tiny thing! And the snaps make everything so much more practical!”

“I'm honestly shocked you're okay with second hand.” 

“Oh hush. Thank you Clint.” Loki said primly as the archer shrugged, mouth full of the finger sandwiches. “Most children of Asgard are in swaddling clothing. It doesn't make sense to keep their clothing fancy all of the time.” He was petting his belly happily, cooing down at it. “Ouff! It's fussy today.” he shifted position again, groaning as Tony had to help.

“Have you guys picked names yet?” Natasha asked, peeking over and smiling warmly. 

“We have some thoughts. But we have both agreed that should this be a girl, she will have an Aesir name and Midgardian name so as to honor our mothers.”

“Maria is a good name.” The red head sipped down her coffee. “What about if it's a boy?”

“We're...discussing.” Tony admits. “Maybe it's just something we'll have to figure out when we see the little trouble maker.” He touched Loki's hand and felt the god squeeze back just a bit too tightly. “Loki?”

Loki's eyes were very focused, his big, joyful smile replaced with concentration.

“Lolo?”

“Tony. I think...” He made a little 'O' with his lips and pulled his lips back into a grimace. “I think it's time.”

“Huh?”

Loki's hand smacked down on his rapidly, the god making a little face. “Oh. Oh dear. OH!” He rolled himself forward. “Yes! Most certainly time!” 

“Wha...but...but!” Tony gestured to the cake and presents. “Baby shower!”

“I don't think the baby cares!” 

“We...we don't have things ready! The pool isn't set to be delivered for two weeks! We...I...” Tony jerked around, eyes wide as he spread his hands out. “Help!”

Clint swung his legs over the back of the couch. “How far apart are contractions?”

Loki nodded a bit. “I've been having them off an on all day. Perhaps fifteen minuets apart.”

“Don't fuss then we got time.” He finished eating his sandwhich and stood up. “Nat and I will go to the store and get a kiddy pool...”

“A KIDDY POOL! I spend two thousand dollars on a state of the art natural water birthing pool.”

“Tony you are gonna hear this a lot from now on so lemmie be the first to remind you. Kids do not give a crap how much money you spend on them. Cheap and durable will take your further.” Clint nudged up his friend. “One hour tops. Get a hose and we'll fill the pool when we get back. Start timing the contractions. Other than that make sure this jack ass walks around.” 

“I am perfectly capable of walking about.”

“Isn't the water supposed to break or something?” Tony snapped, still in a panic. 

“That can take a while. Once it break things will speed up.” Clint and Nat were walking towards the elevator. “Until then, just rub his back when he starts hurting, hands and knees if the press is too much, and walk around the tower when you can.”

“Since when do you know so much about this?” He hollered and never got an answer beyond Natasha'a knowing smile. “FUCK! Lolo baby I...” a finger touched his lips. 

“Tony, it is alright. Breath deep now and walk with me.” Loki turned to Thor. “Let mother know whats happening will you? She'll be furious with both of us if she isn't kept up to date.”

“Of course. I shall return shortly.” Thor's eyes were twinkling. He rubbed the belly with a big hand. “I look forward to meeting you soon little one.” He gave Tony and Loki a look of sincere pride and walked onto the balcony, the Norse runes appearing in a shower of rainbow light. 

Tony felt utterly lost! He'd read all the stupid books! He'd watched the videos! This wasn't how it was supposed to go down! “Loki are you okay? I mean we can still go to a hospital.”

“I think not. Just walk with me.”

An hour later Loki had to grab hold of Tony as the amniotic membrane broke and he gave a deep grunt, liquid rushing down his legs. “AH! Oh there we are.”

“How can you be so calm about this?” Tony supported him, Loki laying a hand to his lower back and groaning. 

“It is all entirely natural. This is something I have done before. I don't fear it. Besides, the true test will come at the crowning. They say a true Aesir woman does not cry out when she gives birth. Sigyn was so determined she broke the birthing stool rather than scream.” Loki chuckled and winced again. “Ahha. How long did they say they would be gone?” 

“About an hour. Shit I shoulda had Happy take them in the town car. They'll hit rush.” Tony heard the elevator ding and breathed a sigh of relief as Natasha walked in carrying the “You owe me fifty bucks.” he handed Tony the receipt. “I went ahead and got a hose. Figured you probably wouldn't know if you had one or not.” 

“Where did Natasha go?” Loki observed. 

“She went to go grab a few things. We'll probably be here a while so she said she'll come back with dinner for everybody.”

Tony blanched. “You're staying?”

“You really wanna figure this out on your own?”

“Absolutely not!” Loki put his foot down. “I won't allow any other man save Tony to be with me during this! It's bad luck!”

“Easy there sweet stuff. Clint I got this covered okay? Jarvis is on stand by with instructions from here on out. Can't you just wait in another room?” Tony pleaded. Honestly, he just didn't want to go through this entirely alone. But he wasn't willing to put Loki in a tizzy over something so small. “You can raid the fridge.”

That appeared to pacify the archer well enough. He helped Tony get the pool inflated and filled with warm water before vacating the room so Loki could get undressed.

To see the new body was something extraordinary. He wished Loki had stuck around the entire time so he could have seen the process from stage one. But even now it seemed hard to believe. It wasn't as though Loki had copy and pasted his head onto a new body. It was still his frame and build. While the breasts were round in a bra they were barely more than a handful each without. The hips had a bit more curve but he was still lean. And that belly. That beautiful, round, strange belly. Tony smiled as Loki sank down into the pool and leaned on the side, squatting in the tub. “You look amazing.”

“I wish you to say this again when I am bleeding and breaking your hand as I hold it.”

Tony brushed his hair back soothingly. “Why did you want me in here? I thought you said it was a big deal.”

Loki's green iris locked onto Tony's. “You've been here for me through all this. It only seemed right. I want you present Tony. I want you to be involved in your child's birth.”

He knew his heart was beating a million miles an hour, but the only thing he could think of to do was to kiss the man and hope it conveyed enough. 

Time passed slowly. Every now and again Loki would want to stand and he would pace back and forth, aided by Tony's overly careful attention. They would warm the water if it got too cold and Loki would sink back down, moaning softly when the contractions hit. When he was able, he told his lover stories of how things might have gone if they'd been in Asgard. “I would have liked to have had our child there, but it is simply too dangerous right now. Here it will be safe. No matter what else may happen, the council can not take your child from you.”

“Do we need to go over that again? You're staying Loki. So is this. You know once it gets out of your belly.” Tony rubbed down the stomach again and again. He's switched to a pair of swim trunks and slid into the pool as well so he could massage when it was needed. “We can finish the nursery together. I was gonna let you open it last, but your mom sent a pram. Like the one you talked about before. It's got all this neat carving stuff on it.” He talked and babbled on, letting Loki listen to all the things they were going to do together. How they were going to make sure this baby was kept safe, cared for, loved. 

Loki kept smiling eve as the contractions went from mildly annoying to actively painful. At the first sign of blood on the water Tony stiffened, but the god reassured him. “You are a good man Anthony Stark. A dear man. I...I do not regret a moment of our time together, even the difficult moments.” He strained and grit his teeth, moving back and forth on his hands and knees. “Ahhhhhanthony!” He gasped and sank back onto his haunches for a big one. 

“It's okay. There ya go. You're doing so well.” Tony tried his best to keep his voice steady, soothing the intense pressure. “Move with it not against it.”

“Oh what does that even mean?” Loki snapped a bit and shook his head. “Forgive me. It...it's starting to become quite intense.” 

“Don't worry about it baby I've got you. There ya go. There's my Lolo.”

Loki let out a sudden, giddy laugh. “I have said it before and I shall say it again you foolish man. Never stop calling me that!”

The sense of panic and urgency in films is a lie. Much of birth is waiting and working. Relaxing and letting your body ache and burn. It is bloody and unpleasant through out so much of the process, but as the real grit work of things comes to it, there is a sense of purpose in the air that is unequaled. 

Natasha got back just in time to see Loki squatting in the pool, Tony's arms between his legs as the god breathed and strained. 

“I can feel hair!” Tony exclaimed like he just couldn't wait to tell it to someone. “N-Nat! Nat I can feel hair!”

“Thats great Tony.” Her voice sounded a bit odd, but she was smiling as she came closer. “How ya doing?”

“Exhausted.” Loki grunted before Tony could answer. “But there is much to be done. I...” Loki clamped down his lips and gave another push, baring down to let the body do what it must. He was intentionally refusing to cry out. With everything else that had gone wrong it must have felt like that would be the final straw. But as the press continued he let out a quick groan garbled with words. “I wish my mother could have been here for this!” 

“I'm sure she'd want to be.” Tony reassured him, listening to Jarvis tell him how to do the next part.   
Okay. Okay Lolo sweetie I need you to take a deep breath and push for me. Okay. Okay that's it give it a good one!” He could see the muscles straining as Loki tried. For all the shapeshifting and reforming, there were certain things that just came more naturally to a female. But Loki wouldn't give up for the world. “There we go...oh...oh my god. Oh wow.” Tony breathed out. It was so strange. All that squelching and pushing and panting and suddenly it was like the world slid from the wet opening. 

Tony's hands shook even as Loki breathed a sigh of relief and managed to turn. The god was red faced and sweating, eyes so tired. But he dipped his hands under the water with Tony's and together they lifted up the blue and purple veined thing. 

“Tony.” Loki breathed out, petting back the thick mop of black hair as the child emerged from the water and gave it's first big breath. “Tony...it's a girl.” 

He was crying. He didn't even know it till he rubbed the first tear away. The baby squalled angrily, opening it's lungs to give out this cry to the world that she had made her arrival. Neither father nor mother could take their eyes off the screaming baby. 

“Tony. Tony look. Look at what we've made.” Loki cried, rubbing his face all over the baby without fear of blood or mess. “Look what we've done my love.” 

“Congratulations.” Natasha said quietly as Tony grabbed a towel and wrapped the little girl up, cleaning off her skin with gentle swipes. 

“Hey come on what's got a bug up your butt?” Tony smiled. “Look at her! I mean come on and look at her!” 

Nat shook her head. “I'm so sorry about this.”

The next few minuets happened so fast. In a moment of absolute helplessly, a second of vulnerability, the elevator doors opened and a troop of SHIELD agents walked in. 

“Tony...!” Loki's voice pitched and he wrapped his arms around the child with protection. 

“What the?” Tony rose out of the tub quickly. “I don't remember inviting Fury to this shindig.”

“Tony you need to stand down, right now. Do not make this worse than it already is.” Natasha advised calmly. 

“Are you shitting me right now Red?” He stood between the first few agents and Loki, clearly ready to call the suits. “Hey back off! Don't you fucking...!” 

“Tony!” Loki shrieked as two of the agents grabbed Tony and shoved a fist right into his gut. The god cradled the screaming infant, shaking his head as three more came from the balcony. “No! No do not!” he snarled, eyes flashing with raw fury. 

“Loki you're going to hurt yourself!” Natasha insisted. 

“You WRETCH!” Loki snapped at her, trying to back away but trapped by both his own weakness and the tub. He held their new infant daughter, trying to shield her, to put his body between her and the attackers. “No!”

“Loki you're going to get her hurt!” 

“What do you care?” Tony wrenched himself from side to side as the agents held him back. “The fuck are you doing Natasha!”

“Shut up and stop him!” 

The gods fingertips were glowing. His magic had been tied up while he was pregnant, all the urgency in rebuilding his form superseding any other use for the power. 

“Lolo!”

A fist came down on the back of Loki's head and the god grunted, stumbling as an agent sloshed into the water and grabbed the bundle. Loki gasped and turned, trying to stumble up as the woman in the black suit got the baby away quickly, headed for the elevator. 

“Jarvis shut down the lifts!” Tony began. The elevator doors turned red and slammed shut Another fist to the stomach didn't stop him as he gurgled out. “Lock this place down! Nobody gets out...”

~Right away Sir.~

“Jarvis override code Fe363.”

The elevator doors turned green and Tony took a hard blow to the head, knocking him dizzy. As he fell to the floor he could hear Loki shrieking as Clint and Natasha followed the agent holding the baby out for added protection. “N-nu-oh.”

“Tony! TONY!” Loki screamed in a panic, four agents holding him back and he fought. “They're taking our baby! Tony!”


End file.
